Trade Show News

The "Revive the Vine" initiative includes the development of "The Pennant," a new Marriott Tribute hotel with 80 rooms, dining, retail, and conference and meeting rooms. This multi-studio hotel is part of a larger "NLBM Campus" development on 18th and Paseo, with major construction expected to begin by the end of 2026.

As part of the "Revive the Vine" initiative, a new 80-room Marriott Tribute hotel, "The Pennant," is planned for Kansas City's Jazz District, featuring dining, retail, and conference and meeting rooms, with major construction expected to start by the end of 2026.

Visit KC's Annual Tourism Outlook, held on May 7, 2026, reported a significant tourism impact for 2025, including $4 billion in annual visitor spending and $477 million in economic impact from business travel. The event also highlighted Kansas City's preparations and marketing efforts for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which is expected to bring global recognition.

Visit KC hosted its Annual Tourism Outlook on May 8, 2026, to celebrate the positive impact of tourism in 2025 and highlight Kansas City's FIFA World Cup 2026™ journey. In 2025, conventions and events played a significant role, with the Visit KC sales and services team welcoming over 610,700 attendees across 466 events, generating an economic impact of $477 million from business travel.

Visit KC's Annual Tourism Outlook reported a $4 billion economic impact from annual visitor spending in 2025, with conventions and events contributing significantly by welcoming over 610,700 attendees across 466 events. The report also highlighted Kansas City's preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and its growing global recognition.

Bartle Hall, a key exhibition and convention space within the Kansas City Convention Center, hosts numerous large-scale trade shows and industry expos. This guide offers recommendations for booth furniture rentals to enhance exhibitor presence and engagement at these events.

With Kansas City's busy convention schedule, this service assists exhibitors in creating engaging booth environments to attract foot traffic and generate leads. It provides rental options suitable for trade show booths, corporate meetings, and cocktail events at the Kansas City Convention Center.

Danica Tormohlen, a prominent figure in the events industry, is noted as the VP of Content for Informa Connect, which publishes Trade Show News Network (TSNN). She is based in Kansas City, indicating a local presence for a key industry leader.

An article from Overland Park Convention Center discusses the complexities of comparing event venue pricing, highlighting factors like date, time, room choice, guest count, and event format that influence costs for trade shows and other events in the Kansas City area.

The Overland Park Convention Center published an article on May 7, 2026, offering insights into planning better trade shows. The article emphasizes the importance of operational details, floor layout, and strategic placement of amenities to enhance exhibitor visibility and attendee flow.

The Destination Imagination Global Finals 2026 are scheduled to take place from May 21-24, 2026, at the Kansas City Convention Center. This event brings together creative problem-solvers from around the world for a competition focused on innovation.

The Annual Mokan Trust & Financial Services Conference took place from May 6-8, 2026, at the Overland Park Convention Center. This premier event brought together professionals in trust and financial services.

The 2026 SHAPE America National Convention & Expo was held from March 17-21, 2026, at the Kansas City Convention Center. The event offered activity sessions, educational content, and networking opportunities for health and physical education professionals.

The Kansas City Gem Show 2026, a premier event for gems, jewelry, and minerals, took place from March 13-15, 2026, at the KCI Expo Center. The show featured international dealers and was open to the public.

Collect-A-Con Kansas City, a touring sports card, memorabilia, and collectibles show, is scheduled for June 13-14, 2026, at the Kansas City Convention Center. The event will feature celebrity autograph sessions and vendor exhibits.

Construction is underway on a $118 million renovation of Barney Allis Plaza in downtown Kansas City, adjacent to the Kansas City Convention Center. The project includes replacing the underground parking garage and creating a new modern park, with completion aimed for summer 2026.

Kansas City is undergoing significant development, including a $118 million remake of Barney Allis Plaza in downtown. This project involves replacing the old garage with a new underground parking structure and a modern park above, with completion anticipated for summer 2026. These infrastructure improvements are part of broader efforts to reshape the city.

Kansas City is undergoing major developments, including the expansion plans for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and American Jazz Museum. A new multi-studio Marriott Tribute hotel, 'The Pennant,' is planned with 80 rooms, dining, retail, conference and meeting rooms, and event spaces, with major construction expected to start by the end of 2026.

The Kansas City Convention Center released a revised Client Resource Guide in May 2026, detailing operational policies for events. The guide provides information on catering, union practices (non-union for general practice), and exclusive service providers for concessions and utilities.

The American Royal will host its first events at its new 390,000-square-foot facility in Kansas City, Kansas, this fall. Construction on five livestock barns and an exhibition hall is approximately 80% complete and on track for a September opening. The campus is being developed as a year-round destination for agriculture, education, and events.